The University of Santo Tomas Lady Booters’ train keeps chugging along at the top with their seventh consecutive victory after withstanding the challenge of top club team OutKast FC.
Last weekend’s action at Carmona also saw the University of the Philippines endure a shocking blowout loss to young club Tuloy FC.
UAAP teams Far Eastern University and Ateneo de Manila have turned things after the Lady Tamaraws took advantage of an undermanned Green Archers United FC, and the Lady Eagles benefited from De La Salle Zobel’s second loss by default.
Record-breaker Bandoja and Tuloy manhandle UP
With most of their players unavailable due to a scheduling conflict, the reserve team of the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons were left to face a spirited Tuloy FC squad, who dealt them a humbling 14-0 blow.
Isabella Bandoja went on a scoring rampage, netting all but three of Tuloy’s goals with eight in the first half (14th, 16th, 33rd, 38th, 43rd, 44th, 46th and 47th minutes) and three in the second half (70th, 92nd and 93rd minutes).
The three goals came off of teammates Glory Ann Lado in the 21st minute, and Andrea Jane Limboy’s pair in the 85th and 90th minutes.
Bandoja’s feat has broken the record for the most number of goals scored in a single game, besting University of Santo Tomas’ Shelah Mae Cadag and her eight goals against De La Salle Zobel last September 2nd with the eleven against the hapless UP squad. Her season total is now 17, four shy of matching the league record of 21 currently held by Cadag and De La Salle University’s Kyra Dimaandal.
“Happy ako na na-break ko yung record. Dahil talaga sa mga teammates ko, kung wala sila hindi naman ako makaka-goal nang ganon na karami. Inspirasyon ko rin naman sila,” said Bandoja.
The young striker from Alabang revealed that she had never imagined being in this position when their club made their debut this season.
“Ang expected ko malalakas yung colleges kasi kami wala pang experience so ito palang yung experience namin, hindi ko talaga in-expect na ganito yung magagawa ko,” she shared.
Her coach was just as surprised with the outcome.
“Happy ako sa performance ng mga bata, pero hindi ko in-expect na ganun yung UP,” admitted Rey Cuenco, who made sure his wards were not distracted by the different look of their opponents.
“Inexecute naman nila lahat ng instructions sa first half, pero start nung second half medyo nawala yung play. Nagkumpyansa siguro, pero kailangan i-address talaga attitude ng mga bata. Kailangan pang i-push sila na always a hundred percent ibigay kahit ano yung score.”
The win also puts Tuloy FC back in the top half of the table at 10 points shared with OutKast FC and Far Eastern University, who are separated from each other by small goal differences.
Onrubia and Simoy double-hat-trick lead FEU past GAU
A 9-0 romp past Green Archers United FC was what the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws needed to pick themselves up after a disappointing loss in their previous fixture and to stay in fourth.
Roselle Lecera struck first for the Lady Tamaraws after out-hustling GAU’s defenders for a one-on-one with keeper Kayla Santiago in the 11th minute.
Despite GAU playing with only ten players, they managed to hold out for almost the rest of the first half until Mae-Ann Caw-It spoiled the moment with an injury time goal.
In the second half, Joyce Onrubia picked things up for the Morayta-based squad, scoring six minutes after the restart and completing a hat-trick in the 60th and 72nd minutes.
Bia Requerme chipped in a 66th minute goal, while Suettie Simoy topped it all off with a hat-trick of her own in the last ten minutes of play.
And FEU needed the emphatic victory after an up-and-down season.
“Malaking bagay siya kasi naghahabol rin kami sa goal difference. Importante sa amin yung score. The more na makaka-score kami, the better for us. So hindi lang panalo importante, kailangan din namin yung [mataas na] score,” said assistant coach Glaiza Artus.
Yet Artus maintained the squad is still far from perfect. “Kailangan pa rin namin may aayusin sa training. Hindi kami makuntento na nanalo kami ngayon. May mga kulang pa rin. Lalo na next game sa UST, even if we’ll lose we have to give a good fight,” she added.
Durano and San Buenaventura keep UST streak alive
The University of Santo Tomas Lady Booters are inching closer to the title after prevailing 2-0 against the tricky challenge presented by OutKast FC.
With most of their regular starters absent due to orders from the Philippine Football Federation to prioritize national team duties, there was uncertainty in the air for UST over whether the existing squad could deliver.
Rookie Lalaine Durano afforded UST a collective sigh of relief when she outpaced the OutKast backline for a 13th minute strike, to hand her side the advantage in the contest.
In the 70th minute, Pauline San Buenaventura gave the Tigresses the leverage they needed when she took advantage of keeper Jayneth Mercado’s poor judgment of leaving her line with a long-range shot.
Her side may have gotten the full three points out of the game, but Aging Rubio is far from being pleased.
“Hindi masaya yung game kasi magulo yung team, nalilito sila paano gumalaw sa loob at saka intimidated pa,” said the UST mentor.
“Tactically yung decision-making nila mababa pa. Kitang-kita yung hirap pag-connect sa teammates kasi yung positioning and movement sa loob ng field nalilito pa talaga. Kaya nakakalungkot yung performance,” Rubio lamented.
The absence of her core players may figure heavily moving forward, but it is nothing she did not anticipate and prepare for when she began to rely on her rookies and other players in the last few matches.
“Ang maganda na nakita ko sa performance nila is nandoon yung puso and sense of responsibility. Kaya nanalo padin kami,” she concluded.
The proud team from Sampaloc is the first team to break the 20-point mark with their 21 points. Meanwhile, OutKast FC – who suffered their third straight loss since drawing to the De La Salle University last month – hang on to third in the standings with their 10 points.
League Standings:
UST – 21 pts (+41 GD)
DLSU – 16 pts (+28 GD)
OutKast FC – 10 pts (+9 GD)
FEU – 10 pts (+8 GD)
Tuloy FC – 10 pts (+7 GD)
Hiraya FC – 8 pts (-3 GD)
ADMU – 7 pts (-6 GD)
GAU FC – 4 pts (-16 GD)
DLS Zobel – 3 pts (-46 GD)
UP – 2 pts (-22 GD)
On Deck
The PFF Women’s League continues on Saturday, October 27 at the PFF National Training Centre in Carmona, Cavite as Hiraya FC go up against the University of the Philippines at 8:00 A.M. followed by sister teams Green Archers United FC and De La Salle University at 10:30 A.M.
On Sunday, October 28, the University of Santo Tomas will kick off against Far Eastern University at 8:00 A.M. while OutKast FC and Tuloy FC will face at 10:30 A.M.
The games are available on livestream at http://pff.org.ph/pff-tv.
